The present invention generally relates to an automobile door assembly and, more particularly, to a window structure in the door assembly.
In order to provide a streamlined design of an automobile body structure, it is well known to provide the automobile with so-called "flush-surfaced door assemblies". The flush-surfaced door assembly is generally known as a door assembly wherein the window sash is generally located inwardly of the window pane with respect to the interior of the automobile thereby to minimize the gaps and discontinuities which tend to be created between the window and the sash, between the sash and other portions of the automobile body structure, or between the window pane and the body structure so that the air resistance acting on the automobile can be minimized. One example of this flush-surfaced door assembly hitherto known to those skilled in the art is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,227, patented Dec. 23, 1980. FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a reproduction taken from the above mentioned U.S. patent and illustrates a schematic cross-sectional representation of that portion of a window sash which extends generally vertically from the door body at a location distant from the hinges for the pivotable support of the door assembly. Referring to FIG. 1, the above mentioned U.S. patent discloses a window assembly for the automobile side door comprising a window frame or sash having a pair of generally parallel rails and a window pane 2 adapted to be raised and lowered to close and open the window, respectively. Each of the rails is constituted by a channel member 1 having a guide rib 3 extending in a direction generally parallel to the window pane 2, said channel member 1 opening towards the window pane 2 and positioned generally inwardly of the window pane 2 with respect to the interior of the automobile. A generally T-sectioned guide shoe 5 having a rib 6 formed integrally therewith is affixed by adhesive, or is connected by screws passing through holes in the window pane, to the window pane 2 inwardly of a respective edge thereof with the rib 6 positioned inwardly of the channel member 1. Between the respective edge of the window pane 2 and the guide rib 3, there is disposed an elastic sealing member 4 carried by the channel member 1, which sealing member 4 is sandwiched together with the guide rib 3 between the rib 6 of the guide shoe 5 and the window pane 2. In this construction, during the movement of the window pane 2 between raised and lowered positions, the window pane 2 is guided along the guide rails with the rib 6 and the peripheral edge portions of the window pane 2 sliding in contact with the guide rib 3 and the sealing member 4, respectively.
However, it has been found that the window structure disclosed in the above mentioned U.S. patent has numerous problems. By way of example, where all of the guide shoes are connected to the window pane by the use of screws passing through the holes previously defined in the window pane and then threaded into the associated guide shoes, the installation of the window panel in the door body tends to be complicated resulting not only in the increased number of component parts but also in the increased number of the installing procedures because the guide shoes are provided not only on the front rail, but also on the rear rail, it being to be noted that the terms "front" and "rear" herein used are in relation to the longitudinal sense of the automobile body structure.
On the other hand, where all of the guide shoes associated with the front and rear rails are secured by adhesive to the window pane, the installation of the window pane tends to become complicated and time-consuming. Specifically, considering the customary installing practice wherein the window pane is installed generally after the door body has been assembled with inner and outer door panels firmly connected together and wherein the installation of the window pane in the complete door assembly is carried out generally by inserting the window pane from above into a relatively narrow slot defined between the inner and outer door panels, the presence of the guide shoes on the window pane will provide an obstruction to the insertion of the window pane into the door body through the relatively narrow slot. Moreover, if the window pane is twisted during the insertion thereof into the door body through the slot, a difficulty will be encountered in making the guide shoes engage the front and rear rails properly.
Apart from the above, it is well known to those skilled in the art that, during high speed drive of the automobile, a region of negative pressure is created at various locations along and exteriorly of the automobile body structure. If this negative pressure is excessive, it may happen that the automobile door assembly will be "sucked" outwardly with respect to the interior of the automobile in a direction generally perpendicular to the door assembly by the effect of a pressure difference between the pressures inside and outside the automobile body structure, respectively. Once the door assembly is so sucked or displaced outwardly by the effect of the pressure difference, the weatherstrip used to seal the gap formed between the door assembly and that portion of the body structure which defines the opening leading to, for example, a driver's seat is undesirably deformed to break the seal.
In order to avoid the undesirable displacement of the door assemblies which would take place by the effect of the above discussed pressure difference, the Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Publication No. 56-73621, laid open to public inspection on June 16, 1981, discloses the use of a vacuum means including a vacuum pump and a plurality of suction openings communicated with the vacuum pump and defined at respective locations which will, when the door assembly is closed, be communicated with the space defined by an inner weatherstrip, secured to the body structure so as to encircle the opening leading to the driver's seat, and an outer weatherstrip secured to the door assembly. The arrangement disclosed in this Japanese publication is so designed that, during the high speed drive of the automobile, a negative pressure is created within that space to counteract with the negative pressure created exteriorly of the body structure thereby to minimize the unwanted deformation of the sealing member.
However, the arrangement disclosed in the above discussed Japanese publication is very complicated and expensive in view of the fact that pipings for connecting the suction openings with the vacuum pump must be formed in the body structure, particularly the front pillars, the center pillars, the roof rails and the like components of the body structure around the respective door assembly.